Ripple
by KumikoSaitou
Summary: Naruto always hid behind a special kind of mask. He always made it work. But when he met someone, that wore a mask, too, and couldn't make it work, what will he do? Oneshot, NaruHina


Hey guys. So this is a story I actually wrote quite some time ago, when I was still a huge NaruHina fan! Since then I have to say that I'm not really into it anymore, but I still wanted to get this out, just to see what would happen. I hope you like it!

Oh and please excuse me if there are errors, english is not my first language. :)

* * *

Naruto was someone who didn't like being calm. He was always loud and just saying what he thought, and most people found him annoying. He didn't care what others think about him, especially if they don't even know him. And not only his attitude made it impossible to overlook him.

His hair was bright blonde, it had a rich, almost yellow colour, a bit like a banana. He was tall, well built and good-looking. But his most amazing feature were his eyes. They had a light blue, cerulean colour, that always seemed to sparkle. The expression in his eyes were almost childish, just enjoying the simpleness of life. If you looked deeper, you would see well hidden pain, like he saw things no one should see. But it seemed like he knew that these things lie in the past, even though sometimes this pain comes to fore...

To others it seemed like he never stood still, like he ran his circles like a runner, with a speed and energy no one could match.

* * *

That was partly right. But even someone who was always happy, energetic and smiling sometimes has to pause. And he found something where he could just let his thoughts wander, not trying to make people look and acknowledge him.

It was a rough day. Uzumaki Naruto walked into his apartment, threw his leather bag away and let himself fall on the couch with a sigh after he feeded his ginger longhaircat, Kyuubi.

Leading his own company was pretty hard, considering he was only 26. It was very stressful and he often felt like his usual cheerness would just disappear. He knew though that he made his job good. He made his workers want to work harder, but at the same time more cheerful. He wanted them to be happy with their job, but even if some of them aren't, that isn't bad. They would just go look for the job they do want to have.

Today though had been an especially hard day. A few computers had crashed, he spilled his coffee, 10 people called in sick and an unhappy costumer had wanted his money back.

He ran his hand through his messy hair and sighed again. He closed his eyes for a second, putting the cerulean lights out.

He was so tired. He wished he could call in sick tomorrow too, but he was the boss, he couldn't do that.

And he wished he would have someone he could tell his worries.

Naruto liked his workers, he had a few friends among them and some outside of the company. But there was no one he could _really _talk to. Someone he could trust beyond anything.

He couldn't even call his parents, because they had died shortly after his birth. He was raised in an orphanage and then founded his company.

The only living relative he had was a distant cousin named Sasuke, who lived in the middle of nowhere with his large family.

He didn't have many girlfriends. In the orphanage just one, at the age of 16. Then three others after that, but they were just after his money. He didn't really know what love felt like.

He just had a vague guess. After all, there was one thing he really liked, maybe even loved.

Naruto opened his eyes, stood up and walked to his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a sketchpad. Beneath that one were many more. Then he took a pencil and his cap out and walked out of his apartment, to the other side of the street to the park.

He really liked his apartment 'cause it was so near the park.

He could hear the cry of delight and the screams of the children in the playground, see the dogs running around, looking at the people walking.

He went to his favourite bench and sat down. What would he draw this time?

Drawing was the thing that he liked (maybe loved). He'd done it since he was a kid, it was his method to calm down and just be still for a few minutes. Even then he had been an energetic, happy child that ran around screaming for people to hear him. But the drawing had helped him when he was alone, sad and scared. In that time he could only draw what was outside his window. He drew birds, butterflys, insects, even plants. Sometimes he was able to catch someone doing something and he could draw that. That was way more fascinating than just drawing plants or something.

Sadly he had had no luck. It was extremely rare for him to draw someone. Maybe he could have drawn the other kids in the orphanage, but strangely he didn't scream around that he wanted to draw them.

Drawing was something he wanted to keep secret, 'cause it changed his attitude so much.

Now, people could watch him in the park, but he didn't care about that. He would never meet this people again so why care?

He looked around and thought about what he could draw.

Maybe the mother that was nursing her child, that fell down and is now crying?

Maybe the jogger running his circles in the park, as if he was participating in olympia?

Maybe the guy that was playing and petting his dog?

These were all interesting pictures to draw, but not perfect.

Then his eyes fell onto another bench, a few yards away from him.

There sat an old woman, maybe 70 years old. She was very wrinkly, her face was sunken. She wore an old dress, like grandmothers do.

She obviously was a grandmother, or at least liked children very much, because she watched the children in the playground with an interesting expression. Even though her eyes were watery and the grey colour had already faded a bit, they looked happy and calm.

She was smiling with her thin lips, her face making even more wrinkles. Her stance was straight and she had a bag sitting next to her.

Naruto didn't know what fascinated him so much about this woman, but his fingers were itching to draw her. Most of the time he drew the strangest people out of different reasons. So he took his pencil and began.

He started with her face. He drew the round shape of her head and her ears. He drew the silver hair pinned up on top of her head. The strands that had loosened themselves out and were hanging down.

He drew the smile on her lips, marked the laughter lines that framed her mouth like a fan.

The big nose, also surrounded by wrinkles, with the big nostrils that were currently distended.

The eyes were the hardest part for him. He tried to catch the expression in her eyes. He drew the small wrinkles underneath and above the eyes. Her eyes were a bit squeezed together, so it was difficult. He showed the watery part of her eyes, but also the part that was alive with happiness.

When he was done with that, he took a break for a few seconds. He took a deep breath and started again.

The rest was much more easier for him. He drew the blue veins in her neck and throat, the hem of her blue dress embroidered with green flowers. The skinny arms, also full of veins, with the thin, long fingers and one big golden ring with a small red stone.

He drew her weak legs, supported by an walking stick, and the sandals that covered her feet.

He saw that she was not afraid to grow old. She aged in dignity, like every human should. She probably regretted alot of things she had done in the past, but she moved past them and lived in the present. She was happy.

Naruto finished his drawing. He found it strange that he could see so much in people and not know them at all. He didn't even know the name of the people he drew.

His body was aching from sitting still so long, but it was a good feeling. He felt calm, didn't let the stress of the day get to his head. He looked at the clock and decided to go home.

The old woman looked at him as he was standing up. For a moment he looked into her eyes and smiled. Then he turned and walked away.

* * *

The days flew by like the days before. They were just a small part of his life, nothing extraordinary, just the normal way. Naruto did his job, with his usual cheerness.

But he wasn't as convinced about himself as before. Somehow, he had started to doubt himself.

That was a strange feeling for him. There had almost never been a time when he didn't believe in himself. He wished now more than ever someone he could talk to. But there was no one.

He was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was 6 o'clock in the morning, his alarm clock would ring in 5 minutes.

His eyes were almost closed, he just saw a bit of the white ceiling. He felt like he would never want to stand up again. Right now he was sick of it. He was sick of playing it cool when he really just wanted to cry. Most of the time he really was the cheerful, happy, energetic person. He really wanted to scream around, make others look at him.

But there were times... when he was sick of being cheerful the whole time. He wanted to cry, break down and curl up on his bed. He wanted someone to care for him, hug him, love him.

That sounded so like a cliché. But it was true.

But, most of the times when he felt like this... he just shrugged it off and put on a smile for the day.

Just like now.

Naruto's alarm clock started to ring it's annoying tone and he slammed his hand onto it to make it stop. Then he got up, took a shower, shaved and dressed.

When he walked out of his apartment, he took his leather bag and his sunglasses. It was a sunny, but still cold day outside.

He walked to his underground-garage. There he had two cars and one motorbike.

The first car was a Mercedes, black,that he used for official meetings and such boring formalities.

The second car was for the normal use, a metallic blue Cabriolet.

And last, but not least, his motorbike. It was a bright orange Ducati, he didn't use it much.

Right now he would have liked to take the Ducati, but since he was going to work, he thought it was inappropriate. How strange, usually that didn't matter to him.

So he took the Cabrio and drove out of his garage.

The traffic wasn't that horrible since it was still pretty early. He was almost at his company building, but he stopped at an coffee shop.

Coffee wasn't his favourite drink and sometimes it made him even more hyper than usual, but today he felt like he needed it to get back to his cheerfulness.

The worker yawned as he got to the counter. She was still half asleep, so it seemed, and was quite slow. He sighed and looked around as he waited for his iced coffee.

The shop was pretty much empty. There was one guy sleeping in the bench, another sipping his coffee and staring outside. Then there was a woman.

Unlike the others in the shop, she seemed wide awake. She was scribbling furiously on some papers.

Her face was turned to the entrance, so he could only see her back, which was covered to the waist in long, straight hair. They had a black colour, but when the sun hit it, it shimmered slightly blue.

He turned his face away. She was just another woman.

When he got his coffee, he paid and walked to the entrance. But his curiousity got the better of him and he looked back to see the woman.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her face had a round shape framed by two black strands of hair. Her lips were full and rosy pink, she was biting at one lip with her teeth. She had a snubnose and her skin tone was very light, almost like an porcelain doll. Only her cheeks showed a bit of red colour.

He gasped as he looked to her eyes. They were big and framed by black eyelashes. At the first moment he thought she was blind, because her eyes were almost white. But she couldn't be, how else would she be able to write all the papers she was currently writing on?

He looked closer and found that they were not entirely white, but had a lilac touch. Her thin eyebrows were hunched together as she was concentrating.

It was right, her appearance was very beautiful. But that was not what _made _her beautiful.

He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he had a guess.

When he looked at her he felt as if he could hear her screaming from the inside. She looked like someone that was craving attention, but didn't brag around. Unlike Naruto.

He felt his insides softening. She was craving attention, just like he was. But apparantly she almost never got it. He had the instinctual wish to help and protect her.

It surprised him that he felt this way. He saw this woman for the first time and they already shared a bond. That had never happened to him and it was astounding how it made him feel.

He not only wanted to get to know her. He also wanted to draw her. It was itching him in his fingers.

Suddenly he became aware that he was just standing there and staring at the woman. Luckily she hadn't noticed, she was too deeply involved in whatever it was she was doing.

He felt excitement flooding him. He wanted to know more about her.

He started walking in her direction, with a smile on his lips.

But it seemed like today really was a shitty day.

He stepped on his shoelace, his eyes widened, he tripped, started to fall to the ground. The woman looked up a him with those beautiful eyes. Then he poured his coffee over her and smashed face-first into the ground.

For one or two seconds Naruto didn't move. He wasn't easily embarrassed, but this really got him.

He picked himself up the ground and looked at the woman.

Her blouse was fully covered in coffee splashes, some of the coffee was dripping down from her face. She had a shocked look on her face and looked to her papers. Naruto followed her gaze and started to feel even more guilty.

Her papers were also covered in coffee splashes. And sadly they looked important.

For a small while no one did or said anything. Then Naruto started to act.

„Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I'm gonna get you napkins, I'm so sorry!"

He ran to the counter, grabbed the whole box of napkins and ran back. The worker looked with an amused face at him. He ignored her.

He gave her the napkins. Luckily he had enough sense not to start rubbing her blouse and try to make the stains away, 'cause well... he would touch her at an... intimate place.

She sighed and tried to make the best out of the situation. But of course, the coffee stains didn't disappear and her papers were ruined.

He started to apologize again when she stopped him.

„It's fine."

She had a soft, almost angelic voice that made him stop what he was doing.

She looked at him and smiled. Her smile nearly pushed him off his feet and again it was itching him to draw her in any way possible.

„It's okay, it was an accident. But I have to go now." She stood up, took her ruined papers and headed for the door.

Naruto was frozen for a moment, then turned around and called „Wai..."

… 'till he tripped over his shoelace and smashed face-first into the ground... _again._

And the woman was gone.

As soon as he got up, he ran for the door and ran outside. But she was nowhere to be seen in the street that was now strangely packed with people.

He cussed and wanted to try walking down one of the sidewalks, but he couldn't decide which.

And if she had a car? Maybe she walked to the bus station. Or she lived near here. Or...

He decided to first check the bus station. There was no one there, except an old man.

He raced to the other side of the street and ran it up and down. He looked into every car that was passing him if she was sitting in no luck.

She was gone. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he realized he was late for work.

Today truly was a shitty day. Except for meeting the strange, but beautiful unknown woman.

* * *

At the end of the day Naruto was exhausted and his head was aching. He had tried every source he had, tried every way of finding the woman he didn't seem to get out of his head. But it was no good.

It was as if she had disappeared. He thought for a second that maybe he had just imagined that meeting, but he could remember her and the impact she left on him very good.

He didn't even exactly know _why _he couldn't get her out of his head. Her smiling face was burned into his memory and every time he closed his eyes he saw her. If he wouldn't find her soon he would go crazy!  
When it was time to go home he wasn't any nearer in finding her. So he gave up and with a heavy heart he drove home.

And for the first time he didn't want to draw. It was strange, really. Normally he didn't care what he drew, it should be just a bit interesting. But it seemed that before he drew her he couldn't draw anyone else. It was making him even more restless and at night he lay awake, staring at the ceiling again.

The day after the meeting also didn't start very good. He had just managed to fall asleep, but then his stupid alarm clock scared him half to death and he fell out of his bed, taking the alarm clock with him that was now broken. No complaints there.

Then he ran into his bathroom door because he had forgotten that he locked it. He couldn't find the papers he needed today and then, when he was finally out of his apartment, he accidentally stepped on the tail of Kyuubi that hissed and digged her sharp claws in his leg.

So, his mood was already down when he stepped into his company building.

As usual his secretary Sakura, who was a tomboy, hit him on the shoulder, buckling his knees.

His other workers called „Hello!" and „Good Morning,Boss." from every direction 'till he was finally sitting in his office.

He fetched himself a glass of water and a aspirin to calm his aching head.

Then the phone rang and Naruto groaned.

„Yes?" he said in the receiver, sounding annoyed.

„ , there is a call for you on line 4." said the voice of Sakura.

He sighed. „Sakura, haven't I told you to call me Naruto?"

She giggled and said „Sorry, I forgot. It's a from the Hyuuga Law Firm."

He raised his eyebrows, then pressed number 4.

„Uzumaki Naruto speaking, how may I help you?" He was now in professional mode.

„Good Morning, Hyuuga Neji here. I am calling about the request you have left in my company the other day."

Again he raised his eyebrows.

„Request...?"

„Yes, my company received a call from you asking if we had information about a woman, about 25 years old, with long black hair and almost white eyes. I called you to tell you that the woman you are searching for is most likely currently working as one of my employees."

Naruto was silent for a moment, processing the information. Then he felt excitement flooding him and a big grin stretched itself out on his face.

„Are you serious? I mean, you really know her?" he asked, not sounding professional anymore.

„Yes, I am quite sure. But may I ask what is your interest in my emloyee? Surely you don't need a lawyer at the moment." In the last sentence he sounded smug and Naruto got the feeling that he was a stuck-up bastard.

„No, that is not what I need at the moment. What I intend to do and say to your... employee is only important to know for me and herself."

He knew that he was playing at a high risk, but he couldn't help himself.

There was a pause, then Hyuuga Neji spoke again.

„Well, as this woman is an employee of mine and also my cousin I daresay it is also important for me to know what you intend."

„Yes, but..." he started arguing,then he noticed something.

„Wait, your cousin? Then she's a Hyuuga too?"

„Yes, she is my cousin and a Hyuuga. Before I give you further information about her, tell me your intentions."

Naruto sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It seemed like that became a habit for him.

„You see... I met her yesterday in a coffee shop and accidentally spilled my coffee over her and well... I just wanted to apologize and maybe replace the blouse."

Again it was silent. When spoke again, his voice sounded a bit lighter.

„Well... I would guess, that for the information about my cousin you would, let's say... make a deal with the Hyuuga Law Firm? "Now he sounded smug again.

Naruto scowled and huffed.

„I see now where we're heading to. Well, if you are so keen to make a deal with the Naruzu Company, I will gladly participate."

It wasn't like it was a bad deal, it was just that he was being pressured into it by this Neji-fellow.

And now he sounded triumphant too. God, was he annoying!

„Very well. My secretary Tenten will keep in touch with your Company. As for the information about my cousin... well, she's the daughter of our company president Hyuuga Hiashi. Her name is Hyuuga Hinata."

Naruto didn't talk for a few seconds and leaned back in his chair.

Hinata. What a beautiful and fitting name. He had finally found her. He was feeling so ecstatic right now he wanted to scream around that he found Hyuuga Hinata, the girl that he didn't get out of his head.

A cough brought him back to earth.

„I feel like I should tell you that she likes to go to the coffee shop you met her in in the morning. She's more calm there and not so busy like when she is working,"

Of course, why didn't he have this idea? It was so obvious, he had been so oblivious.

„I really, really thank you for telling me this." His professionality was gone again.

The Neji-fellow sounded amused.

„It's quite alright. But I warn you, if you hurt her, I will hurt you in ways you can't imagine. Have a good day!" He finished with a cheerful tone and hung up.

Naruto shivered at the threat, because he was fairly sure that the Neji-fellow would keep his promise.

He turned in his revolving chair and looked out of the window. Tomorrow he would meet her again.

He couldn't wait.

* * *

The rest of the day was very boring, he fidgeted the whole time and couldn't wait for the day to end.

His nervousness became so annoying for his workers that Sakura locked him into his office.

There he drank one bottle of water in one gulp and spend the next two hours going to the toilet every 5 minutes.

Fortunately Sakura let him go early. The only stupid thing was... he didn't know what to do at home either.

He killed a few hours by watching pointless TV-Shows, playing a few games on his laptop and doing all the paperwork he usually did at the last minute.

Then it was finally time to sleep. But he lay awake 'till midnight. It was exhausting.

He wanted to look good tomorrow and not like a living corpse, so he drugged himself to sleep.

He always had weird dreams when he did that.

He dreamed that a giant coffee cup had a date with Hinata and he tagged along as the dog on the leash. He whined so Hinata gave him a bit of her croissant and when she and the coffee cup kissed he began to howl.

That was the part where he woke up, completely,without a plan where he was.

He wanted to look at the time, but his alarm clock was gone. He remembered that he had smashed it.

His eyes widened and he searched for his mobile phone.

06:47

Naruto cussed loudly and hurried to get dressed. He had overslept, maybe he would miss her! That couldn't happen, he wouldn't stand another day.

Instead of wearing his work clothes he settled for just a jeans and a shirt. He didn't take one of his cars, this time he took his motorbike. He would be faster.

When he finally reached the coffee shop he ran inside, out of breath but trying to act casual.

His heart leaped when he saw the blue mass of hair and the small, petite form of Hinata.

This time she wasn't scribbling on some papers, she read a book and sipped her coffee.

He decided to order a coffee first then try to get in touch with her.

It was the same worker from two days before. She grinned at him when he paid his coffee and wiggled her eyebrows. Once again he ignored her.

With cautious steps he walked to the booth where she sat. His heart was hammering in his chest. God, why did this woman have such a power over him?

He coughed to get her attention. She looked up, with slightly unfocused eyes 'till she saw him.

Then she smiled. Once again that almost swept him off his feet.

„U-uhm... ehh... would you... would you mind if I sit here?"

He stuttered. He never stuttered! He worked with the most important people in the world and he never stuttered when he had a meeting with them.

She smiled wider and shook her head.

„It would be my pleasure."

Her voice was soft, like two days before. He wondered if she always spoke so angelic.

He realized that he still stood there like some idiot and hurriedly sat down.

She gave him another smile then started to read again.

He just watched her for a moment. He saw the various emotions and reactions to the book flicker over her face and he was itching to draw them all. But at the same time, he not only wanted to draw her. He wanted to get to know her. He felt such an attraction to her like he never felt before.

He didn't know her at all, but he felt like he knew her for years.

He noticed she was reading _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone._

He had read that too,but he had been 14. It was a child's book. He liked that she still read it, even though some grown-up's would look strangely at her.

He wanted to start a conversation, so he just blurted his first thought out.

„I liked it when Hagrid gave Dudley a pig tail."

She looked up at him with surprised eyes. He cursed inwardly. What a stupid thing to say.

She smiled at him again. God, he could see that smile all day and not get bored.

„Yes, I laughed when I read that part."

Naruto found himself wishing she would laugh now. He wanted to know if it sounded angelic,too.

„Yeah, um..." He didn't know what to say next. Again he blurted something stupid.

„Why are your eyes so white with a lilac touch?"

She raised an eyebrow at the question, but didn't seem uncomfortable. Maybe she got that question alot.

„I have a birth defect. I was born this way. Many first think I'm blind." He blushed because he had thought that first too.

Suddenly she seemed very shy.

„What not many notice is that the white coulour has a lilac touch."

She blushed darkly, which was a big contrast to her white skin. It suited her.

He ran his fingers through his hair – habit – and looked away.

„Yeah, well..." He didn't know what to say.

It was silent for a minute.

„What is your name?" He finally asked. He knew it already, of course, but she didn't know that.

She smiled, still blushing. „Hyuuga Hinata."

She stretched her hand over the table to shake his hand.

„I'm Uzumaki Naruto." he said and smiled his dazzling smile that was just for special moments.

He took her small, white hand with his big, tanned hand and shook it.

Her skin felt soft, like he thought it would. Her hand was so small in his he feared to break it. He felt like he wasn't worthy of touching such a beautiful, unscarred hand with his slightly calloused hand.

But still he didn't want to let go. He watched her reaction and, to his joy, she also was a bit away with her head.

After a while he realized he would have to let go. Reluctantly he took his hand back.

She was now blushing darker than ever.

„So, - " he interrupted her.

„Call me Naruto." She smiled.

„Okay. Naruto, what do you do for living?"

He leaned back in his seat.

„I'm the president of the Naruzu Company." he said and smiled, but not arrogantly.

Her eyes widened for a moment. Of course she knew his company.

„Wow... uhm... you're so young, how did you manage that?"

Many people asked him that question, so he was prepared.

„Well, I had no money so I had to work for it all by myself. I did everything I could and then, one day... I got lucky and had the perfect opportunity. And I founded my company."

He smiled when he thought back, he really hadn't had any money back then and if he hadn't met Jiraiya, a man who he really owed much, he wouldn't be where he was now.

Hinata sipped on her coffee.

„And do you like your job?"

Naruto blinked at her and was silent for a moment. No one ever asked him that and, to be honest, he had never thought about it. Did he like his job?

He tried to form his thoughts into words.

„Well..yes, I do. I like helping my workers and giving them a good feeling by doing something useful and getting paid well for that. But my job is very tiring and stressful too. It takes alot out of me. Sometimes I don't wan't to get up in the morning, but know that I have to. I wouldn't want to waste what I have achieved myself, even if I'm not 100 % happy."

Suddenly he noticed he had given much more of him away than he intended. He was a bit afraid he scared her away, but she just looked at him, no judgement showing in her face.

But she looked a bit troubled and sad. He didn't want her to be sad.

„I can understand you. You've tried your whole life to be what you are now and then you realize... it's not really what you want. But you don't want to disappoint yourself...or others."

Naruto just stared at her. She brought what he felt to the point. Did she feel the same?

„What do you do for living?" he asked her with a gentle voice.

She sighed and looked to the ground.

„I am a lawyer. My father is the president of the Hyuuga Law Firm and therefore I am the heiress. But it's... very hard to meet the expectations my father has. I have tried all my life to be what he wants me to be. And I'm still not good enough. He thinks I'm worthless for not being a good enough lawyer. Like my sister, Hanabi. It's just... I don't know what to do anymore. I don't even know if I want to be the next president. I think my cousin Neji would be a much better choice."

Naruto chuckled silently. He thought so too, this Neji-fellow really had it in him.

He also thought that Hinata probably was a relatively good lawyer, but she just wasn't made for that job.

„Maybe you should try something else. "

Her face snapped up and she looked at him with wide, fearful eyes. He could see the uncertainty and anxiety to step out of the line, to fail on the way and no one to blame but herself.

He tried to take some of her fears away.

„You see, maybe your father expects you to be a lawyer. As far as I understand he has always pushed you to become only that, never trying something else. But the thing is, he can't control your life. He masks his intentions with fatherly care but he really just wants his reputation to look good. That is selfish. What you should try, just for once... is to be selfish too. Think just about yourself, what you want, not what your father wants. Do you have a hobby, Hinata?"

She looked confused.

„Well... I have been playing the piano since I was little. My mother showed it to me, but then she died. I never stopped playing though."

He smiled warmly at her.

„Well, there you have it. I don't know how good you are, but have you ever thought about being a pianist? I think that you have really good chances, if you have been playing since God knows when."

She blushed and looked down, pushing her index fingers together in a nervous gesture.

„Y-you really think so? You're not just saying that?" Her voice sounded uncertain und desperate. She really wanted, just once... someone that believed in her.

He gave her thumbs-up and smiled his wide, dazzling grin.

„I really, really think that! Believe it!"

Hinata stared at him with wide eyes again. Then she slowly started to smile and the expression in her eyes changed. There was just a tiny bit of... hope.

Naruto stood up, with Hinata looking confused.

„But to be sure that you are really good at playing the piano, how about we go to my apartment? I have a piano. You could play something for me."

She was hesitant.

„Bu-but... I have to start work in half an hour."

He shrugged.

„Me too. But you know what? We're both gonna take this day off and just say we're sick. What do you say?"

He offered her his hand. She hesitated for a few seconds, then smiled and took it. He pulled her up.

„Don't forget your book!"

She grabbed it and followed him outside.

* * *

They reached his apartment in no time at all. He had thought that, maybe Hinata didn't like motorbikes, but she had been thrilled, said she'd always loved motorbikes.

It was nice having her cling to him from behind as he drove through the city. Very relaxing.

Once they were there she took off the helmet and shook her hair from side to side in order to make it fall down again.

It looked like a movie scene, totally cliché,but still very, very hot.

He smiled at her.

„Come on."

He took her hand and walked up the staircase. It felt good holding her hand like that.

He unlocked his apartment and let her in.

She paused momentarily to look around.

His apartment was simple, yet a bit crazy. Each room had a different colour.

The kitchen was blue, the living room was red, the bathroom was green, the hallway was black...

His own room was orange, because that had been and still was his favourite colour.

There was also one extra room used for the creative things.

In this room was the black piano, an easel, his laptop, a microphone...though he didn't use it that much.

He led her to this room. On the way they didn't talk, just still holding hands.

Upon seeing the piano she gasped. It seemed like it had been a while since she played and the piano here was almost new, since he didn't really play it that often.

Hinata walked over to it, moving her hand along on the piano, touching it with her fingertips.

Then she sat down and opened the piano.

Naruto walked to the chair opposite of the piano where he could see her very well. There also was his desk, with his sketchpads. He sat down and waited.

For a momet nothing happened, she moved no limb. Then she moved her hands over the piano keys and Naruto was engulfed by beautiful music.

He didn't recognize what she was playing, but it didn't matter.

The music started with soft, innocent notes. Sometimes they sounded harder, but still very soft. Then suddenly it changed, the music became deeper, sounded more sad. It was very slow, just dragging on. There were no changes, just this one melody.

But suddenly the music changed again, growing louder and faster, an interplay of higher and deeper notes.

Naruto felt his heart soar, meeting the heart of the girl that was currently playing her heart out.

He watched her, slow tears running down her face. But they were no sad tears.

For the first time he wished he could draw music. Capturing the music on a picture to symbolize it's beauty even more.

And then, he suddenly realized why it was so fascinating for him to draw.

He likes catching the people in the way they are, but not like a photo. There he only has to look for a second and then he shoots the picture. But when he draws it, it takes time. He can see everything if he just looks.

Naruto's favourite part when drawing someone was the face. There is much to say about the face of someone. Sometimes he sees maybe lines of a conflict ,pain, laughter, seeing the sparkling of eyes that seem ordinary at the first moment. He found it fascinating to watch these emotions flicker over a face.

Because even if he's together with someone alot, he still sometimes doesn't see the emotion played out on their face. But when he draws, he looks at everything, beautiful or scary.

And he can also learn something about himself. Sometimes he'll find someone that feels the exact opposite of him or just the same way.

Naruto felt himself slowly gliding back to earth as the last notes faded away.

For a very long time neither of them said anything. They were comfortable in the silence they were sitting in, just thinking over what they just experienced.

Naruto had wanted to draw Hinata, desperately. She was so beautiful, innocent and interesting that he couldn't help but want to capture her on a picture.

But he realized, that by drawing her... she would just be a picture. Just like the other pictures, nameless and unknown.

The difference between them and Hinata was that he really wanted to know her. The others he had just wanted to draw, then forget.

But he never wanted to forget Hinata. She had made a change in him, even if it couldn't be seen.

And he knew he had also changed her. They had helped eachother just by listening. And in Hinata''s case, just a push in the right direction.

Naruto slowly stood up, still feeling a bit dazed. He walked over to the piano and sat down beside her.

Hinata was still crying, not being able to stop. And that was okay, because it seemed like it had been a while since the last time she really cried.

He gently touched her chin and turned her head towards him.

„You are breathtaking in everything you do."

Her tears began to flow even more. A sob escaped her and, with a courage he knew lay somewhere deep inside her, she kissed him.

Her lips felt exactly like he had imagined them. Only better.

They were soft and velvet against his slightly rougher ones.

The kiss was pure, fully free of anxiety and uncertainty. They both knew they felt something special for eachother, so they weren't afraid to pour their hearts out in this one kiss.

When their lips gently parted he laid his forehead against hers and looked her in the eyes, both slightly out of breath and smiling like idiots.

„You know, we forgot to call in sick."


End file.
